Answer (1 of 15): I would Jerry West because he was on the All Defensive Team five times and Oscar was on none. No one was affected more by those defeats than West. The answer is "yes," according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons. But I could've, and I knew I could've. During the 1969-1970 season, he would win his only scoring title by averaging 31.2 points on 49.7% shooting to go with 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game; moreover, after two seasons as a Second Team All-NBA selection, West returned to First Team status and also garnered the first of four consecutive All-Defensive First Team nods. Teams. Height: 6-2 (188cm) Weight: 185 (84kg) Jerry West was a 12-time All-NBA performer who knew how to elevate his game when the lights shined the brightest. West lost the first eight times he played in the Finals, twice by a single basket against the Boston Celtics in Game 7s. One of the main complaints that many old heads have with the modern game is its statistical, analytics aspect. West was the second pick of the 1960 NBA Draft. In the 1965 playoffs, West averaged 40.6 ppg over 11 contests; his 46.3 ppg average against Baltimore in the division finals was a record for a six-game series. [38] In return, the center blasted Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever". [8], In the summer of 2000, the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, and West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood, dedicated the road outside of the West Virginia University Coliseum, "Jerry West Boulevard". [23] On the floor, West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game. [15] The Lakers had a disappointing season, winning only 36 games and getting swept by the San Francisco Warriors in the first round of the 1967 NBA Playoffs. Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story. Maybe that's what a team is all about. Estimated PSA 8 Value: $3,500. He thinks it's going in! [42] As after Baylor's injury years before, West stepped into the void, leading the NBA in scoring average with 31.2 points per game, and averaging 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, earning him his first of four All-Defensive First Team votes and another All-NBA First Team berth after two Second Team years. On May 19, 2011, West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, reporting directly to new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. Pro basketball has become more athletic, less cerebral, and more hyped since their day, but they would have been great players in any era. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas recalls the conversation quite well. That was our goal.". To hear Jerry West and to see Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson Ill never forget it. [55] West wanted to re-negotiate his contract and keep playing, however, he said Cooke "basically told my agent to go to hell. West stole the ball, raced upcourt, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded. Oscar Robertson vs Hassan Whiteside. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. He grew up in Cheylan, West Virginia, although his family got its mail in Cabin Creek. "[86], In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. [40] A limping West scored 26 points in Game 6, but the Celtics won 9990 with a strong Bill Russell, who held Chamberlain to only eight points in the entire game. Local de nasc. SG. "I told coach Wooden, 'I'll play him for lunch every day, and he'll pay.' Also Read When will it be fair to name LaMelo Ball as the greatest Hornet ever!? [58] In the 197677 season, West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. While his famous triple-double season would come a year later, Robertson got off to a fast start right out of the gate during his 1960-61 rookie season in which he . You pass them on, but nobody can understand you. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). [64] West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. He spoke with a high pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor dubbed West "Tweety Bird". Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. The team reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 but lost to the University of California. "When I was able to play for the Olympic team, it was great for me. Oscar Robertson was the only college player to finish the March Madness career with four triple-doubles. Years after a game in which he hit 16 of 17 shots from the field, sank all 12 free throw attempts, and notched 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 blocked shots, West told the National Sports Daily, Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didnt feel I played very well. [43][45] After Chamberlain scored 45points and West 31points plus 13assists in a series-equalising 135-113 Lakers win, the Lakers seemed favorites prior to Game 7. [15] As of 2011, West holds 12 WVU all-time records. I think West is the smoother player and the stronger defensively. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It seems that tons of viewers from certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a conscious fashion. All rights reserved (About Us). On May 20, 2011, West was hired by the Warriors as one of the teams executive members, where he assisted the team in basketball and non-basketball related decisions. He scored 19 points in the second half, leading WVU to an upset victory. Happy Birthday Jerry! [16] West's best performance was a game against Virginia, in which he grabbed 16 rebounds and scored 40 points. Both entered the league via the 1960 NBA Draft - Robertson was the No. West was also superior as a clutch performer and in playoff competition. "I had no tools to get better other than my own hard work," West said. Known as "The Logo", Jerry West's legendary career ended with him unquestionably among the sport's all-time greats. As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. It seems to bother the Big O more than West, this dulling of fans' memories of their glory days. [83] Apart from being shy, West was always restless: Schaus described him as a "bundle of nerves", Celtics contemporary Bob Cousy as "always on the move", and fellow Laker and Mountaineer Rod Hundley testified that during bar visits, West would quickly squirm and demand to go elsewhere before everybody else had settled. Although West enjoyed great individual success during his prime, the teams record is a study in frustration unbelievable frustration is how West described it to the Los Angeles Times Magazine. However, in 1951 his older brother, David, was killed in action in the Korean War, and the trauma turned West into a shy and introverted boy. Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. The Lakers seven-game defeat at the hands of the Celtics in the 1962 Finals was particularly heartbreaking. I played on an all-black high school team and we didn't want people saying that we were clowns. Choosing to stay local, he played college basketball at West Virginia University, where he was a 2x First Team All-American, 2x Southern Conference Player of the Year, and NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1959 as the Mountaineers narrowly lost to Cal in the finals by a 71-70 score. In Game 7, a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation bounced off the rim. After a big loss, the Wests would drive home and she would try to console him, but West would say "get out" at the home porch and drive awayan experience that "killed" her as a wife. Six of the losses came at the hands of the powerhouse Celtics. After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of the Lakers for three years. [8] The Lakers were captained by Hall-of-Fame forward Elgin Baylor, who was complemented by centers Jim Krebs and Ray Felix; forwards Rudy LaRusso and Tom Hawkins; and guards Rod Hundley (from West Virginia, like West), Frank Selvy, and Bobby Leonard. Overall, his time with the Royals was dominant over a decade with the team, he averaged at least 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 47.0% shooting, and was an All-Star plus a First Team or Second Team All-NBA selection each year. With Elgin Baylor (Mr. There will never be another player like the 'Big Dipper', who changed the game with his strength, athleticism and skill. To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. Some of these triple-doubles that Jerry West or Oscar Robertson or Elgin Baylor had, they would think they had the worst day in the world!. Unexpectedly, most of the coaches changed direction as suddenly as a team that just had the ball stolen at midcourt. Oscar Robertson vs Andrew Wiggins. "Race; cold war; threat of nuclear war. Led by Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and John Havlicek, the Celtics would win eleven NBA . [12][63] Jonnie played guard for West's college team, the West Virginia Mountaineers and married professional golfer Michelle Wie in 2019. He thought of the broken noses, the broken hands, the pulled muscles and the lost championships. The next season, though he averaged 27.1 points per game, he only played in 55 games; injuries and missed games were a prevalent theme throughout Wests career, as he would play in fewer than 70 regular season games in half of his 14 NBA seasons. Jerry West SG. [59], After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 198283 seasons. As players on a perennial bridesmaid team, West and Baylor were frequently eclipsed by Chamberlain, Robertson and Bill Russell, who collectively won virtually every MVP during Wests and Baylors most productive years. West is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats, but he has one blemish: his NBA Finals record. Ended: Feb 21, 2023. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Jerry West's NBA Finals Record. 44 jersey in 1983. [84] His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. He would sit by himself and stare into space. Simple mathematics tells us that there are 144 cards contained within the twenty-four packs of six, resulting in the probability of two examples of each member of the set's full roster. He taught himself his quick shot release by bouncing the last dribble hard off the ground. Frazier later commented: "The man's crazy. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. In 1961-62, West established himself as a deadly scoring threat and averaged 30.8 ppg, marking the first of four seasons in which he 30 ppg or more. Sure did," said Jerry West. The game, which was the Lakers' first home game of . [60], Those championship-winning Lakers were coached by Pat Riley, and featured superstar players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy. "There are people on ESPN who never played basketball or even picked up a basketball," he said. Oscar Robertson vs Russell Westbrook. With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title. "There's all the publicity today for a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player. He spent five years at that post, helping build Memphis into a playoff team in 2004, 05 and 06 before stepping down in 2007. The triple-double is just a stat. [22] Again, the Lakers reached the finals, and again, they battled the Celtics. West was motivated by a relentless drive to succeed. I must have that tension. West was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979. "[63] West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint, but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as Pau Gasol, James Posey and Jason Williams) and signing coach Hubie Brown, who became Coach of the Year in 2004. After the Lakers heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics in the 1969 NBA Finals, John Havlicek walked up to West and said, Jerry, I love you. Such comments were not uncommon. MIES (Switzerland) - It happened more than half a century ago, yet for two of the biggest legends in the sport, USA's Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, memories of the gold-medal winning run at theOlympic Games in Rome are crystal clear. Theyre gonna be selling TODAYs game. Tackling the Biggest Head-to-Head Sports Debates. As a rookie, West would make the first of 14 straight All-Star teams by averaging 17.6 points (41.9% shooting), 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Oscar Robertson: Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974) Jerry West: Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1974) [48] West himself contributed with 25.8points and led the league with a career-high 9.7assists per game. [ 1] From college to the pros, Robertson and West shared a unique bond and reverence. It is an honor to know him and to have competed against him. Jerry West leads Los Angeles with 20 points while Oscar Robertson scores 17 along with 9 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks en. You'll see their coaches shaking their heads on the bench because they didn't make the right play. Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. During his 14-year playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, West became synonymous with brilliant basketball. [22], In the 196566 NBA season, West averaged a career-best 31.3points, along with 7.1rebounds and 6.1assists per game. West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four. [26] In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Celtics. For both Robertson and West, their stellar rookie campaigns were just a sign of things to come over the next decade and a half, both players would continue to dominate the NBA as individual players, though it would take a bit longer for each one to overcome the Boston Celtics dynasty and win an NBA title. Professional career Los Angeles Lakers (1960 . Oscar Robertson vs Jo Jo White. "I would never bet against the Lakers," he said. But it is less a function of disrespect than of youth. He thinks its really going in! It did, sending Game 3 into overtime. The Lakers swept the Bulls and beat the Bucks in six games to reach The Finals. He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor despite the loss. The 13-time All-Star, who was dealt to Phoenix on Feb. 9, has not played in a game since Jan. 8 when he was with the Nets. I will say that Oscar fits the 'all around' definition better - he was *almost* as good at scoring as Jerry although not quite matching up to West's peak scoring abilities, he was a better rebounder and also a better passer (both by . Despite his statistical achievements, and those of Wilt Chamberlain, NBA media voted Bill Russell their 1961-62 MVP. [37] While West himself got on well with the recruit, Chamberlain often argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship with Van Breda Kolff. However, West had also injured his right hand and received several manual injections,[43] and Reed famously hobbled up court before Game 7: the Knicks center scored the first four points, and inspired his team to one of the most famous playoff upsets of all time. His average of 27.0 ppg game stands as the fourth highest among retired players, behind Michael Jordan, Chamberlain and Baylor. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. Jerry West is a legendary NBA star, and his silhouette is the logo. Neither Chamberlains 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscars triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. In Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118115 win. Amazon.com: Collision Course: The Basketball Lives of Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson and the Fall of the Cincinnati Royals: 9781620062104: Cook, . His nicknames included "Mr. The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. Also, Oscar declined more rapidly than West so the seasons where Robertson was better early in their careers are partially balanced by the seasons where West was better later in their careers. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick . In three campaigns with West at the helm, the Lakers went 145-101 and returned to the playoffs after missing the postseason during Wests retirement. "John Wooden once told me Larry Bird was better than me," said Robertson. Basketball had not yet sacrificed fundamentals for potential. [87][88], West is portrayed in the 2022 HBO docudrama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty as a temperamental, foul-mouthed executive prone to angry outbursts and mood swings. "We were amateurs in every sense of the word. Additionally, Robertson also remains #1 all-time in career triple-doubles with 181; the only other players in NBA history with more than 100 career triple-doubles are Russell Westbrook (138, as of the end of the 2018-2019 season), Magic Johnson (138), and Jason Kidd (107). Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. "In my era, they were afraid to foul you then, because the officials were right on top of every play.". He is a. man for the ages." Jerry West. He must have blocked at least a half . [16] He was also named to be a member of the U.S. Pan American Games basketball team that won the gold medal. "When we played, [the NBA] was a minor league acting like a pro league. Wilt Chamberlain broke it down in the following fashion: Why would someone doing a game for lets say NBC do nothing but applaud the players and praise who they are? Head to Head: Oscar Robertson vs. Jerry West. I could've played another very good year. Ventaja : Jerry West. 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